Friday, November 07, 2008 Crown insists no pre-selling, just letters of intent to buy By Carlo P. Mallo
REAL estate giant Crown Communities maintains they have not engaged in any pre-selling activities but have only accepted "letters of intent to buy".
In an interview Wednesday, Crown Communities general manager Myra Lynn Gilig said there have been no pre-selling activities for their residential development dubbed as "Positano" at Shrine Hills in Matina, Davao City.
"For those few letters of intent to buy that we did accept, we have always assured them that in the remote possibility that the project will be shelved, they will get a total refund of their money," Gilig told Sun.Star Davao.
"I think this is really not much of an issue since we have always been clear about this with those who have expressed desire to own a property in Positano."
It was reported Tuesday that the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) has confirmed that Crown Communities has engaged in pre-selling activities based on prima facie evidence.
"I understand and respect the HLURB monitoring team as they have been fair and have always given us the opportunity to explain our side," Gilig said.
"We have already replied to their notice and we are now awaiting their decision," Gilig said adding that should the decision of the HLURB to fine them is final, they will then pay the fine of P10, 000 per lot sold.
However, Gilig said the main issue is not whether the real estate company has engaged in pre-selling activities or not, but rather the evaluation of their project application which is still pending before the City Council.
"We have always said that we are complying with all the necessary technical requirements to make sure that this project will not put any life in danger," Gilig said adding that that should be the focus and that its merits should be thoroughly discussed.
"These concerns are also shared by the City Government as well as the homeowners of Ma-a."
Positano is only one of two real estate developments in Shrine Hills, which are being rallied against by some homeowners that live at the foot of the hills, on the premise that the said developments have caused the instability of the limestone hills.(CPM)
